Treatments - Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, PIT, TCM
An initial intake will look at the full picture of your health. Questions will be asked about current and past medical conditions, energy, digestion, sleep, emotions, hormonal cycles, areas of pain, etc. The tongue and pulse will also be analyzed.
A diagnosis and treatment plan will be created based on the patterns presented. A treatment plan can include acupuncture, custom herbal formulas, diet modification, exercise therapy, cupping, gua sha, and/or tui na massage.
Lifestyle modifications may also be suggested. Diet and exercise are a major part of maintaining balance in life. Exercises, stretching, yoga, and diet modifications may be discussed as part of a treatment plan.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles at specific points on the body. Traditional theories base acupuncture points on the meridian system to treat organ or energy imbalances. More modern theories explain acupuncture’s effectiveness as points being where nerves and muscles can be stimulated at specific trigger points which increase circulation and the release of the body’s natural pain killers.
I have been trained in both traditional acupuncture and modern sports medicine methods. Single use, disposable needles will be inserted and retained for approximately 20 minutes. The patient may feel a tingling sensation, heaviness, cold or warmth at the areas around the needles. The number of treatments depends on the nature of the condition treated. Acute conditions generally require 4-8 treatments. More chronic cases may take months or be put on a maintenance program.
Cupping, Gua Sha, Tui Na Massage
Cupping involves placing cups under suction against the skin. They can remain stationary or they can be moved over an area to increase circulation, help decrease inflammation, treat pain, remove toxins, and promote healing.
Gua Sha is a skin scraping technique. A smooth edged tool is used to stroke gently and repeatedly over an area to increase blood flow and circulation to promote healing. It is often used for conditions of inflammation, chronic pain, and to break down scar tissue or adhesions.
Tui Na is the name given to the Chinese style of massage that combines treating the meridians, acupoints, as well as groups of muscles and nerves.
Herbal Medicine
Custom herbal formulas are created for each individual. There are thousands of herbs included in the Chinese Materia Medica. Herbs are combined in a formula to cater to the patient’s specific signs and symptoms. Formulas are ordered from Bema Botanicals based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. Their herbal prescriptions are of the highest quality and meet modern pharmaceutical standards.